This is a Sample Slide Title

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UL 300 Presentation
Brett Straten, President and CEO Dan Hawkins,
Engineer and P.E.
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AFP Service Offering
Engineering
Installation
Equipment
Inspection
Repair
Maintenance
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Clients

• Over 4000 clients in the tri-state area

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Vendors

• Distributor for

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Organizations

• Organizations to which we belong

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Agenda

• Short history of UL 300
• Current stance on UL 300 from manufacturers,
  state and service companies
• Common kitchen system deficiencies

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Commercial Kitchen Fires

• Kitchen fires are the primary type of fire in the
  home
• Kitchen fires are the second most common fire
  (arson being first) in commercial structures
• Smith Brothers Dining Saloon
• Fire on June 18, 2007!
• The cause of the fire, which apparently began in
  the kitchen, is under investigation.

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Commercial Fires
NFPA Annual averages between 1999-2002
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UL 300 History

• On November 21, 1994, a new Underwriters
  Laboratories test standard entitled UL 300, Fire
  Testing of Fire Extinguishing Systems for
  Protection of Restaurant Cooking Areas went into
  effect.
• The original tests were done in the 1960s when
  pre-engineered kitchen systems were first
  developed
• Since that time there have been significant
  changes to commercial cooking

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Changes in Commercial Cooking

• In the 1960s animal fat (lard) was used in
  commercial kitchens and it was also used in UL
  testing.
• Due to health concerns lard has largely been
  replaced by vegetable oil
• Restaurant supplies estimate that 70-75 of
  commercial kitchens use vegetable oils
• High Efficiency fryers that heat faster and
  cool slower

All of these changes have significantly altered
the fire hazard in cooking areas
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Its all in the Fat

• Lard contains saturated
• fat when mixed with dry or
• wet chemical creates a
• soap like substance in
• process called
• saponification.

Vegetable oils contain less saturated fat and
cook at higher temperatures, slowing or stopping
saponification
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Test Changes

• UL 300 introduced several new major fire test
  protocol changes
• The test appliance was changed from a fabricated
  pan (to simulate a fryer) to commercial gas fryer
  with specified heating and cooling rates.
• The one-minute preburn after auto-ignition was
  changed to a two-minute preburn.
• The appliance fuel-off condition during preburn
  was changed to an appliance fuel-on condition.
• A minimum grease auto-ignition temperature of
  685F (363C) was added.
• This new test protocol more closely replicates
  the actual conditions expected to be found in
  commercial cooking operations

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Manufacturers of Kitchen Systems
Defunct Brands

• FSI / Casco
• Safety First

Existing brands that have pre-UL-300 Systems

• Ansul - Both WC and DC
• Pyrochem - Both WC and DC
• Kidde - Both WC and DC

Brands that dont have pre-UL-300 Systems

• Amerex
• ?

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Is the system UL-300 compliant?

• How do you tell if a system is not UL-300
  compliant?
• Defunct Brands
• - FSI / Casco
• - Safety First
• Date of manufacturer on the cylinder lt 1994
• Dry system vs. wet system
• - Nozzle Bulbous vs Straight

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What about pre-existing systems?

• All newly installed kitchen systems must be
  UL-300 compliant, but what about pre-existing
  systems?

What do the manufacturers say? What does NJ state
code say? What do installers say? What does this
mean for the members of our community in our
respective jurisdictions?
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Manufacturers

• Kidde will no longer support the installation,
  inspection, service, recharge or repair of dry
  chemical systems.
• Range Guard states "that it is ok to inspect
  their systems, but recommends an upgrade for
  systems that can no longer comply with their
  listing because of addition of cooking equipment,
  need repair, have discharged, or have worn out.
• Ansul takes a similar position to Range Guard but
  still sells parts.

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NJ State Code

• In spite of what many are being led to believe
  by some in the fire protection system business,
  there is no regulatory requirement to universally
  replace existing dry chemical range hood
  extinguishing systems. As long as a system is
  properly maintained, it can remain in service.
  Despite representations or suggestions by anyone
  to the contrary, Underwriters Laboratories has
  not removed, generally, their listing from any
  properly maintained existing dry chemical range
  hood extinguishing system.

- the NJ Division of Fire Safety issued Bulletin
2003-2 (January 6, 2003, Range Hood
Extinguishing Systems, referencing N.J.A.C.
570-3.1(a) 5, F-511.0 and F512.0, respectively),
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NJ State Code
PRE-ENGINEERED RANGE HOOD EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM
MATRIX
1 Verification of existing system, proper
operation and maintenance, including required
automatic fuel supply cutoff to all appliances. 2
Certification from qualified service company
regarding full system function, including fuel
supply shutoff, required per UFC. 3 UFC permit
required for permanent cooking operation
requiring suppression not registered as a life
hazard use per NJAC 570-2.4.
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Installers

• Work as the liaison between the customer, the
  manufacturer, and the fire official
• AFP Policy like others is driven by insurance
• Associated Fire Protection will not repair,
  recharge or hydrotest any dry chemical or wet
  chemical kitchen system installed prior to
  November 20, 1994. Associated Fire Protection
  will inspect kitchen systems prior to this date
  for current customers, however, all dry systems
  will be marked non-operational and all wet
  systems will be marked partially operational
  and we will recommend an upgrade to a new wet
  chemical system.
• Most fire protection companies will refuse to
  inspect non-UL kitchen inspections because of
  insurance reasons

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AHJs

• Need to consider their community as a whole
• Example Churches, Town Meeting Halls, VFW posts
  with one stove. What to do?

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Common Deficiencies in Kitchen Systems

• Improper nozzle coverage
• Uncovered/moved appliances
• Improper nozzle position
• Improper nozzle type
• Duct and plenum coverage
• Hydrotest out of date
• Appliance shut offs
• Missing
• Inoperable
• Pull station inoperable/blocked
• Component Mix n Match
• Link line
• Missing blow off caps